Activation of Akt through 5-HT2A receptor ameliorates serotonin-induced degradation of insulin receptor substrate-1 in adipocytes

► We investigates the effects of chronic treatment of serotonin in adipocytes. ► We found serotonin induces IRS-1 translocation from LDM to cytosol. ► Inhibiting Akt activation promotes the cytosolic translocation of IRS-1. ► Sarpogrelate activates Akt, resulting in a protection of IRS-1 from degradation. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) was found to be elevated in the serum of diabetic patients. In this study, we investigate the mechanism of insulin desensitization caused by 5-HT. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, 5-HT treatment induced the translocation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) from low density microsome (LDM), the important intracellular compartment for its functions, to cytosol, inducing IRS-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, inhibition of 5-HT-stimulated Akt activation by either ketanserin (a specific 5-HT2A receptor antagonist) or knocking-down the expression of 5-HT2A receptor promoted 5-HT-stimulated IRS-1 dissociation from 14-3-3β in LDM, leading to drastic ubiquitination. Interestingly, sarpogrelate, another antagonist of 5-HT2A receptor, protected IRS-1 from degradation through activation of Akt. This implicates the importance of Akt activation in extending IRS-1 life span through maintaining their optimal sub-location into adipocytes. Taken together, this study suggest that activation of Akt may be able to compensate the adverse effects of 5-HT by stabilizing IRS-1 in LDM.